Four Seasons: Book One
by Ruby Sparrow
Summary: *AU* In a world were the four seasons are broken into four kingdoms, there's something or someone messing with the balance of things. Now it's up to the Royal Family of the middle kingdom, Four Corners, to find the chosen protecters of the realm...
1. The Fall of the Kingdoms and a King

**Four Seasons: Book One**

By: Ruby Sparrow

**Summary: **AU In a world were the four seasons are broken into four kingdoms, there's something or someone messing with the balance of things. Now it's up to the Royal Family of the middle kingdom, Four Corners, to find the chosen protecters of the realm and hope that they can learn to get along before it's too late.

**Author's Notes: **This story just kind of came to me when I was watching the DVD. You'll find that I moved the events around a bit and I had a little bit of fun with some of the boys but that many of the boys' friends are in these books. Also I would like to thanks Vivian Tanner for all of her help from beta reading my stories to for her great ideas . I hope that you enjoy it and that you please review.

**Disclaimer**I do not own "The Magnificent Seven" story line, characters, settings, or anything else to do with it. I am in no way getting paid for this story unless you count the fun I had writing it.

**Part I**

King Steven was a mess; nothing had gone right at all since he had woken up. His wife, Mary, insisted on talking to him about their son and the dreams the boy had been having, he had had meetings none stop until dinner, when once again Mary wish to talk him. Now when he thought he could finally rest, the two oak doors to the Great Hall busted open to admitted two guards. In between them was a small boy, whom looked like he was being dragged but as the trio drew closer Steven realized that the guards were really trying to hold him up.

"What is the meaning of this?" Frank Ellish, the Royal Tutor and dear friend to the king, was running trying to intersect them.

"Please forgive us Your Highness but this boy says he's from the Fall Kingdom and that he carries a message from their king."

"You fool if we let everyone who says…"

"It's alright Frank," Steven said holding up his hand for silence.

"Yes, my liege."

"He had this," one of the guards said holding up a ring. Steven stood and began making his way down the steps, taking the ring from the guard he could see it was covered in blood. The ring had a picture of a dear on it, the band was a floral design of leaves and vines. _This is the Royal Sea _he thought, looking up he saw Mary standing in the doorway behind them, her face covered with fear. The blood on the ring was surely from the boy, he was covered in cuts from head to toe.

"Mary sends for the healer, you two lay this poor boy down." The guards moved to lay the boy on a sofa then stood back making room for their king. "Easy there, you're safe now," Steven said attempting to clam the boy.

"Your…Highness," the boy gasped. One of the side doors open to reveal and the healer, _good here comes some help._ He looked back to the boy, he had so much blood on him one wouldn't be able to tell the color of hair, let alone his skin, _who could have done this?_

"Sire, if you please?" The healer asked.

"Yes, of course," the king made to move but as he stood the boy's hand shot out clinging to Steven's arm.

"Your Highness…you need…to…help," the boy gasped.

"We will help, our healer is here, he will see to you."

"No…not me…the Royal Family…"

"Royal Family, which family, what's happened?"

"The Fall…" the boy's eyes closed. Steven could see that talking was hurting him. _Poor lad _he thought.

"Sire, please," Steven turned to see the healer leaning over him trying to get to the boy, Mary was standing behind him. Steven could just make out the form of tears in her eyes.

Looking back to the child, "You need to be looked after, than we will talk."

"No…the family…the kingdom…attacked." The boy refused to let go of the king's arm.

"Who attacked?"

"Someone…inside…they're gone…"

"Who's gone?" Steven asked.

"Royal…Family…"

"Maybe they're hiding," Mary spoke up.

"No…they're gone."

Steven looked around at the people in the room, he didn't like where this was going. "What do you mean gone?" Frank asked moving to stand beside the queen, having had stayed by the throne until now.

The hand squeezed harder on Steven's arm as the boy took another breath. "They're…dead…all…de…" His eyes closed as his hand fell limp to the ground.

**Part II**

Mary gasped, her hands covering her mouth as her eyes darted around the hall. All present had a look of horror on their faces but if it was from realizing that the boy had just died or from hearing the news that he had delivered she could not tell.

"Poor boy, must've used the last of his strength to get here, all the way from the Fall Kingdom," Mary looked toward the healer.

Nathan Jackson, the Royal Healer, had been a good friend to her since he came to the palace. She had come across him on one of her outings, one of her Ladies in Waiting had fallen and sprained her ankle. Nathan, walking by at that time had stopped to help. Mary was so grateful that she told the Royal Healer at that time about him and Nathan was soon asked to become his helper. When the healer had passed away last winter, Nathan took his place.

"What do you think it means, Your Highness?" One of the guards asked.

"I'm not sure," Steven stood making room for Nathan to get to the boy's body. "Mary perhaps you should go," he said putting an arm around her, "I'm sorry you had to see this."

Mary give a sad grin to her husband, _he still thinks I need to be sheltered from the world_, she thought. "I'd like to stay Steven, that boy die to get a message to us and I would like to know what's going on."

"If I may Your Majesties?" Mary look toward Frank standing next to her, "this may all just be a trick."

"A trick!!" Nathan yelled moving in front of Frank, "A boy just died and ya saying it's a trick!!" Mary knew that Nathan didn't care for Frank but she had never seen the healer this mad before.

"Now, now Nathan, let's hear him out," her husband said placing a hand on her friend's shoulder trying to calm him.

"Thank you Sire, as I was saying, there have been many reports of bandits along the borders. This may be a trick of their's."

"But he had the Royal Seal and what would the bandits gain by this?" Mary asked, she had heard some of the report and this didn't seem like something the bandits would do. _They've just been taking a little gold here and there_, she thought.

"That's what I'm not sure of, I suggest you send a message of your own My Liege?" He said giving that wolfish grin that Mary hated. "Send someone to the Fall Kingdom to find out what has happened."

"What if what the boy said is true? We would be sending our men to their death," Mary argued. She didn't like this idea at all and she was hoping that Steven was not going for it.

"Mary, maybe you should go check on Billy," Steven said. She couldn't believe her ears. _He can't be listening to this_, she thought.

"But Steven…"

"Please Mary," the king gave her a smile and started for his throne.

She looked around the hall for help, Nathan was seeing to the boy's body with the guards' help. Her eyes landed on Frank, that grin still plastered on his face, _you've won this fight_. She made a curtsey to her _king's _back and storms from the hall, closing the doors as hard as she could.

**Part III**

Mary sat in the library going through the reports of the bandits attacking the borders. The scouts that Steven sent to the Fall Kingdom had returned two days ago, badly wounded but confirming the boy's news. The Fall Royal Family had falling, all believed dead killed by someone in the court. The kingdom was a mess and they couldn't find who had taking over ruling.

Frank was still saying that it was just the bandits but Mary wouldn't believe it. The fall family had two very good bodyguards, she had never heard of anyone getting past them. She noticed someone watching her, looking up she found Nathan standing in the doorway. "Your Highness, may I enter?"

"Of course you may and I've told you before to call Mary."

"That you did and I said I would when we was alone," he said grinning toward a small desk in the corner. Prince Billy was sitting there reading some reports Mary had giving him when he insisted on helping.

He must have notice them staring at him. "It's alright Nathan, I won't tell, beside I don't like being called prince all the time," he said.

"Thank you Billy. Mary I needed to talk to ya."

"About what Nathan?"

"About the Fall Kingdom, do ya think that the folks that went for them will go for the other kingdoms?"

"I wish I could say no but since I'm not sure what's going on, with the boy and then the news the scouts returned with. Steven have sent scouts to the other kingdoms, I'll let you know as soon as they return." She could see the disappointment in his eyes, Mary didn't know much about Nathan's past but she know that he had once lived in the Summer Kingdom and that he still had a good friend there. "If there's anything I can do for you Nathan…"

"Thank you but its fine," as he went for the door his path was blocked by the king rushing into the room.

"Steven, what's wrong?"

"The scouts I sent have just returned and not with good news. All three have fallen."

"What of the Royal Families?"

Steven just shook his head. "There is no word on the Summer's; Winter's king luckily had, against his wishes, left his kingdom before they were attacked."

"And Spring?"

"Spring's Queen is being held captured in her castle. I'm to head out and give aid where I can."

"You can't, what about your own kingdom?"

"Four Corners is the middle kingdom, if the others are lost for good then we're lost as well. I must help if I can," he took Mary into a hug. "I have faith that you will look after things here." Steven gave her a quick kiss and held her at arms length, "We leave at sun rise I just wanted to say farewell to you and Billy."

Mary couldn't speak, she was having trouble breathing. Holding back her tears, she watched her husband say good bye to their son, _say something_, she told herself but she knew that he wouldn't listen.

Steven was heading for the door when he stopped in front of Nathan and held out his hand, "Take care of them."

"I will," the healer said talking his king's hand.

"Thank you my friend," and with that Steven was gone just as fast as he had came in.

Nothing but silence in the room, Mary didn't know what to do. She had a very bad feeling about all of this but Steven would just wave it off. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't…

"Mom, it's just like my dream," she stared at her son. Mary had forgotten all about Billy's dream with everything going on but now it all came back to her. There were bigger things going on here then just a band of bandits playing a trick and she was going to need help to find out what.

"Nathan?" Mary hardly heard herself calling her friend's name.

"Yes madam."

"Would you please be so kind to send word to my father-in-law?"

**Part IV**

Orin Travis, honorable representative of the Season' Court, had just arrived at the castle of Four Corners and just by looking around he could tell that he was not going to like reason for this visited. He had received word from the Queen Mary that all was not well in their kingdom and when he was getting ready to leave his seniors told him to be on the lookout but they didn't say for what.

Now he was being escorted to the Great Hall to see the Queen but what got to him was that the guards had said nothing about the king.

Mary couldn't take it anymore, it's been five days since her husband had left for the Spring Kingdom and she hadn't heard anything from or about him. Now their son was coming to her in the middle of the night crying about another dream that he kept having, _more like a nightmare_.

She looked at the list that he had written out for her, it was a list of different items that he saw in his new dream. None of them made sense, none except for one, an image of his father being killed. She had to convince him that it was just a dream but now that she thought about it most of Billy's dream always had some kind of truth to them.

"Your Grace?" Mary looked to the guard standing by the door.

"Yes, what is it?"

"His Lordship Orin Travis have arrived."

"Very well, please show him in."

"Yes madam." The guard left, returning with Lord Travis close behind him. He gave a bow to Mary, then to Travis before closing the door to the hall as he left.

_Wonder if he knows anything of what's been going on_, she thought as she walked down the steps from the throne to him. "Welcome Lord Travis," she greeted him making a small curtsey.

"Mary please, you don't need to be so formal with me," he said pulling her into a hug, "now tell, what's been going on?"

"You mean you haven't heard about anything?"

"No, I haven't. Mary tell me what's wrong."

"EVERYTHING!!!" She yelled throwing her arms into the air. "The four kingdoms boarding Four Corners have been attacked. The Fall family been killed; Winter's is on the move, who know where to; there've been no word on Summer; and Steven left to rescue Spring's Queen from her own castle." She gave a sigh going back to her throne, "And now Billy keep waking me because of a dream he'd been having of random images. I don't know what to do."

She waited for an answer but did not like the one he gave her. "Now Mary, I'm sure Steven will be alright and he'll be back soon, then we'll take care of the other kingdoms."

"But what about Billy's dream?"

"It's nothing but a dream, he'll get over it."

Mary shook her head, holding out a piece of parchment. "I don't think he will."

"What's this?"

"Read it," she said sitting down and looking anywhere but at him.

Travis looked at the parchment she had handed him. Realizing that it was written in Billy's hand he could only guess that this was a list of things he had seen in his dream:

_Burning castles_

_7shadows protecting me and mother_

_A black wolf with green eyes standing away from the pack_

_A lone rider on a hillside in front of a bright clean sky_

_A fairy chained to the ground with broken wings_

_A church and a bear_

_A sword in a rode bush_

_A child wearing armor that's too big_

_Red cat eyes_

None of these items made any sense until he got to the last one:

_Dad being killed and a pocket watch _

He stared up at Mary, who had tears running down her face. He didn't know what to say and even if he did, he didn't think that he could have voiced it. _The boy's dream have never been wrong_, he thought, _I prey that this time is the first_.

"I didn't know…what to…do."

"There, there Mary, I'm sure that this time it really is just a dream, nothing no more then a dream."

Mary just gazed at him, _how he be so calm_? Here she was crying and going crazy with worry and he's telling her to calm down. "I just don't think that this…"

There came a knocking at the doors. "Come in," Mary yelled whapping the tears from her eyes. The right door opened slowly to admit Nathan. He walked into the Great Hall holding something behind his back. "Nathan, what can I do for you?" There was no answer, the healer just kept walking towards them, his eyes to the ground. _He knows he doesn't have to be formal with father_, she thought. There had to be something wrong. "Nathan?"

He finally looked up and she soon wished that he had kept looking at the floor, for she didn't like what she saw in his eyes. "Lord Frank has returned, Your Highness," he said.

The Queen had to lean forward to hear him, _why is Frank back but not Steven_? "Where is he Nathan?"

"He's resting now, he was in bad shape."

"But Nathan what about…" she didn't get to finish her question. Nathan pulled his hands from behind him and Mary had her answer. He held a sword in front that she knew all too well.

"I'm sorry Mary."

**Part V**

It had been about week since King Steven of Four Corners had been killed and Queen Mary was staring to lose control. Orin Travis stayed in the castle to help the best he could but he was also in constant contact with the Season' Court trying to find out anything that they might know.

"Have you found anything out yet?" Travis looked up from the list that he was once again staring at, he couldn't stop thinking of the items and just what did each one mean? Mary was standing in the doorway to his room, staring back at him with hope in her eyes. He wished that he could have told her yes but he just shook his head and went back to reading. "I can't believe that the court doesn't know about any of this."

"Oh I'm sure they know, they just won't tell us what to do. Who else would send Billy his dream?"

"I just wish they would send him some real dreams and no more of these nightmares," Mary sat down in a chair across from the Honorable Travis. "He still can't go to bed without seeing his father or those other images. Why can't they just tell us what they want from us?"

"They have their rules, as do we," he was sorry that the poor boy had to see the same dream over and over but there was nothing they could do for it. "Could you get anything from Lord Frank?"

"No, he's still in too bad a shape. The only thing we can understand is that they were ambushed before they even got to the Spring Kingdom and some how he was able to get away and get back here."

Orin just shook his head, "It's just irritating that I can't figure these items out."

He heard Mary shifting in her chair, he looked up when he noticed her leaning over trying to get to the list. "The burning castles are easy it's the four kingdoms and his father falling."

"So that's two out of ten," he said.

"Do you really think that these are all events that are going to happen?"

"It could be, yes."

"Nathan thinks that we should just go look for these shadows ourselves."

He looked from the list to Mary and back to the list, all he heard was Nathan and the shadows, _maybe the healer have something there_, he thought. Not counting the first and last items on the list he counted eight things, one of them being the shadows protecting Billy and his mother.

"Perhaps we should go looking for them."

"But we don't even know who we would be looking for."

"Yes, we do," he stated holding up the parchment. He could see the confused look in her eyes and could tell he was about to lose her. "Nathan's a fairy."

"Yes, but I don't…"

"Any ideas what happened to his wings?"

Mary shook her not knowing where get was going, "No, I never thought to ask, why?"

Travis stood from his chair taking the parchment with him as he took off out of the room in search of the healer. "Because I think he's one of the shadows."

**AN: **I hope you liked it. I wrote Steven as I pictured him from that little bit that we see of him in the show. Please review and let me what you thought.


	2. The 7 Shadows: The Rider and the Wolf

**Disclaimer: **I do not own "The Magnificent Seven" story line, characters, settings, or anything else to do with it. I am in no way getting paid for this story unless you count the fun I had writing it.

**Four Seasons: Book One**

By: Ruby Sparrow

**Part I**

The traven was quiet, only a few sat inside drinking, but once the fighting outside started they all went running. Either to get out of the way of arrows or to see what was going on. Only one drinker remained and only when the barkeep didn't return to refill his glass did he notice everyone was gone.

Chris Larabee scanned the room finally noticing the sound coming from outside. He stood slowly making his way to the doors, only after grabing a bottle from behind the counter.

He found the barkeeper standing by the door watching the commotion in the road, _everyone always want to watch a hanging_, he thought. "Town always this lively?"

The barkeep stared back at him shaking his head when he saw the bottle Chris was holding. "It seems those Hunters have a problem with that young man," the barkeep answered.

Chris followed the man's gaze to a group of men struggling in the middle of the road with someone that was less then outnumbered. _Is that a fairy?_ The man looked to be a fairy but he didn't have any wings, _not something you see everyday._ He looked around at everyone, half of them were trying to get away from the madness and the other half were just standing by watching. Chris had heard tales of how bad the kingdom of Four Corners had gotten but he never thought it was _this_ bad.

The blond warrior started to leave, back to the traven but stopped feeling someone watching him. He turned to meet a sky blue gaze staring back at him, _what does he want? _The guy just looked at Chris, than disappeared into the shop behind him with a broom in his hands. The blue eyed man came back out a few moments later with a crossbow and started loading it with an arrow, _so that's what he's thinking._

"You walk outta here with that crossbow and you're fired!" The shop owner yelled.

"Ah Hell, I'm probably gonna get myself killed. Now, I got to worry about a new job too." Vin finished loading the arrows and looked up at the blond warrior who was still watching him. Vin wasn't sure but it looked like the guy was grinning at his comment but it vaisned so fast.

If there was one thing that Vin Tanner really didn't like it was unfair fights and this was the most unfair fight he'd ever seen. Vin just give a sighed, he knew better than to get involved but he didn't care right now. He nodded towards the scuffle and then at the man's sword hanging on his belt. The green eyed man nodded in agreement, setting the bottle in his hand down he started towards the group. Vin moved to walk beside him.

Together and without a word they headed down the street to where the Hunters were already throwing a rope over one of the trees and around the 'fairy's' neck.

**Part II **

When Lord Travis came to him telling him that he was one of the shadows Prince Billy dreamed of, Nathan didn't believe it. When Lord Travis showed him the list and the image of a fairy with broken wings, Nathan still didn't believe. Then when Lord Travis asked him to go and find the other six shadows, Nathan still _could not _believe it.

He didn't even know where to start looking but he did have a feeling about one of the shadows so he called upon an old friend of his. They were to meet in the main town of Four Corners. Now here he was about to be hung for trying to help someone, _things really have gone bad in the kingdom,_ he thought. He knew Queen Mary was having trouble keeping everything under control but there were thieves and murderers coming out of nowhere. What was worst was that none of the villagers or the nobles weren't fighting back, they just let these people do whatever they wanted, _well I'm not giving up without a fight._

Which was just what Nathan was doing, he'd been doing pretty good until they tried his hands together after he punched one of them in the face. They also took his knieves away, even the one he kept in his boot. He resisted all he could but when it's nine against one, one can only do so much.

The healer looked around the best he could hoping to find anyone willing to help him but the few people he saw wanted nothing to do with the whole thing.

"Bring him over here!" The man with black hair yelled. _Must be the leader,_ Nathan thought. They pulled the healer up onto a wagon that they found somewhere, it now sat by a tree. Nathan struggled as the youngest one of the men tied a rope around his neck. The brown hair and redhead of the group threw the other end up over the tree branch.

Nathan watched as three more of them carried over a coffin, setting it against the fence. _At lest they're gonna clean up after themselves_, Nathan tried laughing at his own joke but when they opened the coffin his joke didn't help any. Inside was the man that he had tried to help.

"Thought you might want to watch your killer hang boss," the black haired man laughed. While the others started laughing too, Nathan attempted to get the knife out the redhead's belt but he moved away, staring down the street.

Everyone stopped, following his gaze, as well as Nathan. There stood two men, they stood a few feet from the men and wagon, one holding a crossbow and the other rested his hand on the sword of war hanging at his waist.

The fairy studied his saviors as something kept yelling at the back of his mind. Something said that he already knew these men but he'd never seen them before. The one with the crossbow had shoulder length light brown hair and a little bit of a tan. Like one that been outside too long and the way he held the bow it was as if it was part of him, _must be a Tracker_, a man that lived off the wildness and mostly in the woods. His cloths however told a different story, he wore a light brown undertunic of holland(1) and over that was a houppelande(2) made of a reddish-brown russet(3). He had loose fitting pants of canvas(4) and dark brown mid-calf boots. The coloring hinted to Fall and the way it was made hinted to noble but the man himself didn't look noble. The thing that got Nathan was his eyes, they were bright sky blue.

The man with the sword wore all black. He had a black long sleeve tunic of linen(5), black lightly form fitting breeches of serge(6) and black boots to just below his knees. This guy was a fighter no dout about it, the way he stood, the way he walked, everything about him. The blond hair and cold green eyes made Nathan think of Winter.

Normally a Tracker stays to themselves, trust no one but their horse, and the Winter fighters are the same way. They only looked after themselves and the few that make it into their hearts. _Things have been changing_, Nathan thought. For these two men to be·orking together to help a stranger no less.

"This aren't none of yer business, ya best walk away!" The leader of the men yelled at the new comers.

"I think you best cut him lose," the man in black replied.

**Part III**

Vin didn't care for this, _start a new life guess not_. The monment the first arrow flew he fired right back. As he ducked behind a rock, shooting when he could, he watched the blond warrior take on the three that had carried the coffin over. Two of them had daggers, the thrid a sword. They circled him capturing him in the middle but as Vin stared on he started to think they had made a mistake.

The Winter fighter pulled his sword surveying his attackers. Once in while glancing at his fellow fighter trying to watch his back. The shooter had taking out two before Chris had pulled his sword. _He's not bad_, he thought before coming back to his own fight.

Nathan didn't know who to watch. The brown hair man was firing left and right, taking out two he was now working on the third Hunter. Reloading so fast that Nathan didn't even see his hands move, _yep he's a Tracker_. Nathan never knew anyone that could move that fast and that well with any kind of bow and wasn't a Tracker. Pulling away from the blue eyes man, he now watched the blond fighter. This man was just as deadly with the sword. He was taking on three all at once but he didn't seem to notice. From what the healer saw it was like he was fighting just one opponent. He glided along spining and striking as if it was more of a dance then a fight. Nathan never actully saw the blade strike, all he saw was a flash of light off the sword and then blood coming from the wounds. _He's like a wolf fighting with his claws_, Nathan thought. "Wait a minute…" He whispered to himself as the wagon moved out from under him.

Vin couldn't get to the man with black hair, who kept dodging back behind the open coffin. So he moved on to another target and aimed for the rope's end that was around the branch, he had it in his sights. He fired at the same time he had to jump to get outta the way of an arrow going right by his shoulder. His arrow missed the rope, landing by the horse pulling the wagon, scaring the beast. The horse tried running, jerking the wragon out from under the man they were trying to save and the two that were still up there with him. He reloaded taking aim again, ducking in time to avoid another arrow. Reaiming and timing, he shot hitting the man behind the coffin. Now having an opening, Vin quickly reloaded, aimed, and fired in one swift movement. The rope gave way letting the man fall on top of the redhead knocking him to the ground. Vin didn't even notice he was holding his breath until he give a sigh of relief.

Chris soon finished with his three attackers in time to see the 'fairy' fall from the tree onto one of the men that first tied him up. The other fighter had taking out three of the others leaving the youngest looking one and the one with brown hair. The younger one however was already running, trying to get away from the whole mess. _Guess this wasn't his idea of fun_, Chris thought. He was thinking of going after him when a arrow just missed him, he turned to see the brown hair man falling dead, a knife in his back.

Nathan coughed and gaged trying to get the air back into his lungs and to get his eyes to focus. Falling off the wagon he thought he was a gonner, _my mission's over before it even started_. Then his fall was being broken by landing on´he redhead«nocking him out cold. The healer scanned around him seeing the youngest Hunter running away from them, the Tracker and the Winter warrior staring after him as if thinking. Neather of them saw the brown hair Hunter aiming a crossbow at them. He quickly grabbed the knife out of the redhead's belt and with a flick of the wrist sent it flying into the Hunter's back. Getting the others' attention, he pointed to the knife nodding his head. "One of y'all want to pull the knife out of that fella cut me loose here?"

Vin grinned at the guy on the ground, lopping the bow's rope over his shoulder he started towards him, pulling the knife as he went by the fallen Hunter. Out of the corner of his eye he watch the man in black gave one last look after the young man fleeing and turned shaking his head. "Vin Tanner," he said to no one paticular cutting the rope tied around the man's wrist.

"Chris Larabee," was the reply that came from the warrior as he untied the rope around the man's neck.

Nathan realized that they were introducing themselves but not only to him but to each other. Not to be left out, "Nathan Jackson." He rubbed his hand over his neck attempting to get feeling back into it. _These two came together to save me,_ he thought,_ a Winter warrior and a Tracker. Pulse they never meet before now_, the world really has changed. "Wait," his thoughts were drawn back to before he fell off the wagon.

Pulling out a piece of parchment from his pouch, he unfolded it looking at the content. It was the list that Prince Billy had wrote of his dreams, the one Lord Orin had given him to help find the other shadows. The fifth item was crossed off as well as the first and last item. He stared at the third and fourth items on the list and then at the men who had saved him.

_A black wolf with green eyes standing away from the pack_

Nathan looked at Chris dressed all in black with his cold green eyes. _He fought like a wolf too, _Nathan thought remembering the way his sword flew like claws cutting into his foes.

_A lone rider on a hillside in front of a bright clean sky_

Looking at Vin once again Nathan eyes went to the Tracker's blue eyes. _As blue as a bright clear sky_, he thought, _and a Tracker is born to be a rider, never really settleing down_.

"Hey Nathan, ya coming?" Vin yelled. Chris and him had walked on ahead going back to the traven, when he noticed that Nathan wasn't with them.

Nathan looked up putting the list away, running to catch up with them. "Yeah, I'm coming!" He just started two days ago and he might have already found two of the shadows. "Now to get 'em all to see it that way," he whispered to himself.

**Part IV**

By the time Nathan got to the traven Vin and Chris were already sharing a bottle. Vin nodded toward the stool sitting next to him and while Nathan sat down, the Tracker grabbed another glass. Chris filled it and then handed it to the healer. "Thanks." Nathan accepted the offered glass taking a slip.

"Mind if we asked ya why those fellas was trying to hang ya?" Vin asked.

"Shouldn't y'all have asked before ya saved me?" Nathan took another sip.

"Guess we're just want'n know what we went and gotten ourselves into," Chris repleyed refilling his glass.

Nathan thought about it, staring into his glass as if looking for something. He didn't really know these people but they did just save his life and if he ever wanted them to trust him, he was going to have trust them frist. "I offered to help one of their men, he was hurt but the doc is out of town at the moment. But the wound was already too bad, the fella lost 'lots of blood before I got to him. There was nothing I could of done." Nathan took the final slip of his drink. "Too bad for me, them friends of his didn't believe a word I said."

Vin refilled Nathan's glass as well as his own before handing the bottle back to Chris. "Now why didn't they believe ya?" Vin watched Nathan as he again thought about his answer before answering. It seemed like at first Nathan didn't want to answer but then he took another slip and stared back to the Tracker.

"Well, they thought that all fairies have healing powers," he answered.

Chris watched the healer as he moved his stool a little bit closer to the counter, _so I was right_. "That's not ture through?" He asked.

Nathan shook his head, "No not really, we do have healing power but we can only heal little wounds, we also have the knowing of healing herbs and teas. That fella's wound was just too big for me to do anything about, even if I had wings."

"Speaking of which, ya mind us asking what happened to yer?" Vin asked not looking up from his glass.

"I wasn't born with any," Nathan replied. Vin just nodded as if he understood and drop the matter. Nathan however for some reason thought they needed to know, "I was born in the Summer Kingdom, in a village of Moon Fairies but without wings, so most of the didn't care too much for me. When I was old enough, I left to start a new life, made friends with a priest of the Seasons Court and lived with him. Soon the folks started showen their mistrust of me in that village as well, so I left. Made my way to Four Corners and now I'm Royal Healer of the Kingdom."

Chris looked up from his glass, "So what is the Royal Healer doing out here, getting hung by Hunters." The Winter warrior refilled his glass as well as Vin's.

Once again Nathan thought about his answer before he gave it. He wasn't sure if he should say a lot. If it turned out that they weren't the shadows then he would have said too much but if they were. He noticed the others staring at him, as if they were trying to read his mind. Giving a small sigh Nathan pulled the list out from his pouch, unfolded it and set it on the counter in front of the others.

"I guess ya can say I'm on a quest," he said.

The fairy studied the Tracker and warrior, who in turned were studying him right back. _I knew this wasn't a good idea_, he told himself. They were looking at him like he was crazy.

_Maybe he's still trying to get his air back, _Chris thought. He hadn't heard of anyone being on a quest in a long time and with everything being how it was now-a-days, he hated to see what a quest could be. 

"To put the kingdoms back together," the healer said eyeing them. He was waiting for them to just get up and leave but they sat and waited drinking from their glasses. "'Member how I said I'm the Royal Healer?" Getting a nod from the two Nathan went on, "Well Prince Billy has been having dreams and his dreams always seem to come true. He even had a dream about his pa getting kill."

"Ya mean King Steven?" Vin asked.

Nathan just bowed his head, gazing at his hands. "Poor lad can't get any sleep, he's been waken every night crying but he's also been having dreams about shadows that save the kingdoms, at least Four Corners. I need to find the shadows and bring them back to the castle to meet Lord Orin Travis." He stopped there waiting for one of them to say something but nothing came. "This list is of the shadows that I need to find." Nathan pointed at the list as Vin picked it up and handed it to Chris.

"These don't make any sense," Chris said reading over the list. "You must be the fairy with broken wings?"

"Yep, or so Lord Travis says so but I don't know about the others." Nathan finished his second glass, _how to tell them_, he thought, _well here goes._ "However I think I've found two of them."

"And who might they be?" Vin asked a grin spreading across his face, he had a feeling he knew where this was going and he wasn't sure if he wanted it to go there.

"Well, they're you two."

"What?" Chris said.

"A black wolf and a lone rider, the first two shadows listed," Nathan answered.

"And why do ya think those are us?" Vin asked studying the fairy.

"I'm guessing that yer a Tracker Vin and that Chris is a warrior from the Winter Kingdom, two people who normally keep to 'emselves. A Tracker always seems to be riding somewhere and I can't get yer blue eyes out of my head. Chris fought like a wolf back there and he wears all black with green eyes." He sighed, there he did it, he told them what he thought, _now it's up to them. _

Chris didn't know what to say, all he could do was give a grin at the memories of his wife once saying that he was like a wolf protecting her and their son. Now here after so many years was another person calling him a wolf. _He does have us down to the list,_ he looked to the fairy and Tracker.

"Hell…I wasn't planning on dying with a broom in my hand anyway." Vin finished his drink, _maybe there was a reason for my coming here,_ he thought.

"Thank you," Nathan said grinning at Vin, _that's one._ He watched Chris hoping to find some kind of sign that the fighter would come with them.

Chris study the list, _why did I come here, why did I read his letter and come here looking for him. _He read the list once more before reaching over the counter and grabbing a quill, he crossed out the thrid and fourth images on the list. "Got any idea on where to find the others?" He asked handing it back to Nathan.

The healer couldn't help the smile spreading across his face as he took the list back and seeing that two more shadows had been found. "I think I know the bear, an old friend of my. I got to meet him at the inn outside of town later but the others I have no ideas. If I had to say, I guess the sword in the rose bush is a good fighter¦or the sword but I can't say about the rose bush." Nathan gazed at the others, they had thoughtful looks on their faces and then Chris got a mischeuious grin on his.

"I think I know yer sword in a rose bush." He paid the barkeep for the bottle, stood and headed for the door.

Nathan and Vin close behind him, after leaving the traven Chris started for the stable. "Is he near by, does he live here?" Nathan asked wondering where Chris was taking them.

"He's in town, he's the reason I'm here."

"Well can I meet him?" The healer stared at the Winter warrior. _If he knows another shadow, maybe this won't be so hard after all_, he thought.

"Yeah you can meet him, if you can get him out of bed."

Vin and Nathan stopped dead in their trucks as Chris kept going. Looking at each other, they both saw the same look in the other's eyes. "What do ya think that means?" Nathan asked. Vin just grined at the fairy before moving to catch up with Chris, leaving a very confused Nathan behind.

**Author's Notes:**

1)_Holland:_A very finely woven lawn material that was often used for shirts and undergarments. Usually reserved for the rich.

2)_Houppelande:_ A long gown that fell loose from the shoulders. It was belted at the waist and the collar was often high and tight.

3)_Russet:_ (More commonly known as homespun) A coarse woolencloth that was most often reddish-brown or gray colored. Russet was a favored material of the lower classes, but could also be found among the poorer nobility.

4)_Canvas:_ A coarse cloth made of flax or hemp. It was worn by all.

5)_Linen:_ Cloth made from flax and used by all.

6)_Serge:_ A woolen fabric used for colthing and all types of other supplies. It was used by all.

All research and information of colthing come from _The Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference_.

Hope you enjoy, please feel free to review. 


	3. The 7 Shadows: The Rose and the Bear

**Four Seasons: Book One**

**Chapter 3: The Seven Shadows: **

**The Rose and the Bear**

**Part I**

Buck bolted up when the first knock came at the door, followed by another and another. Then the yelling started, "Hey you in there with my wife!" Buck stared from the door to girl sitting in the bed next to him.

"Lord, it's got to be my Billy." She scrambled out of bed pushing Buck out of the way.

Buck landed on the floor with a yep, "I thought he was prison." The girl stopped half way to the door as if just remembering he was there.

"I hear you in there." The knocking was now pounding and Buck was praying that the door lock were hold.

"You better go," the girl said throwing his clothes at him.

_I hate when this happens,_ he thought. Buck Wilmington had a habit to making himself known to all of the ladies in the towns he stops at. Sometimes however, when the woman said she wasn't married normally it meant that she was. This time she said her husband was in prison but it seems that once again life had gotten the better of him.

"Open this door!"

"Just a minute hon." She pushed against the door in an attempt to keep it shut against her husband's pounding. Buck had started putting his clothes back on, however, in hurrying he got his foot stuck in the pant legs.

"I'm gonna get you!" The pounding was getting louder and the door looked as if it would come off the hinges.

_I got to go_, Buck had been in front of an angry husband before and the result was not a pretty sight. _I think I'll meet Billy another day,_ Buck thought seeing the door shake once more. He didn't want to think of what he would look like after facing someone who could knock a door off its hinges.

He mange to get his foot free, grabbing his tunic, boots, and saber, he made for the window attempting to climb out. Getting half way out, he dropped one of his boots, losing his footing as he jumped to grab it.

The woman saw Buck climb half way out the window before he just disappeared. Realizing that he must have falling, she ran to the window, forgetting about the door. She give a sigh seeing that he hadn't hurt himself falling from the second floor, she turned trying to look as innocent as she could as the door flew open.

She couldn't, however, stop the dumbfounded look on her face. Instead of her husband there stood a handsome young man with light brown hair. "Sorry ma'am. Wrong room," he said winking at her before taking off down the hall.

Outside on the ground, Buck lay flat on his back staring at the sky. _Why does it always happen to me?_ He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the chuckle from off to the side, coming from someone close by. Buck rolled onto his side to see a face from the past, grinning down at him, "Hi ya Buck."

"Chris, you old war dog." Forgetting about his current state, Buck jumped to his feet, wrapping his arms around Chris giving him a huge hug.

The blonde warrior didn't acknowledge the hug but only eyed the man that was walking by at the time. "Careful Buck, people might talk." It was good to see his old friend after so long but Chris had forgotten how lighthearted Buck could be sometimes. _That's what you get being from the Spring Kingdom,_ Chris thought as his friend finished getting dressed. He noticed through that Buck wasn't wearing his normal palace guard uniform, only a pair of light brown pants, with knee high dark brown boots, and a long sleeve tunic of tawny linen. _Wonder what happened,_ Chris had known Buck to once not want leave his room 'cause he couldn't find his uniform. Now to see him here wearing so little, he wondered how his friend could still be so cheerful.

"What are you doing here Chris?" Buck asked putting his belt and saber in place on his waist.

"I got your letter, figured I drop by. What happened with you? Spring Kingdom kicked you out." Normally Buck would had laughed at the old joke between the two men or yell at the man for calling his homeland a kingdom but all Chris saw was the disappointment and sadness in his friend's eyes. "Buck?"

"Times change, what used to be a proud queendom is now ran by a man with no sense of honor and he doesn't know how to treat the ladies." Buck turned his head trying to hide the few tears starting to form, "I did get kicked out of the queendom or should I call it a kingdom now."

"Why?"

"I didn't care for how the new ruler let his men have their way with the women."

Chris nodded, Buck _was_ a womanizer there was no doubt there but he always treated the women like human beings and showed them respect and he hated to see a lady cry.

"I couldn't help it Chris, when I saw a group of the new guards going after that girl I just…just couldn't…" he held his hands to his side clenching them into fists, his knuckles almost turning white. "Next thing I knew I was banded from the _kingdom_ upon punishment of death."

Chris stared at the man, he just didn't know what to say, he couldn't find any words of comfort that could help Buck. The only thing he could do was place his hand on Buck's shoulder giving it a small squeeze. Buck only nodded in return.

Vin came around the building to see Chris standing in front of a man with short curly dark brown hair and a well kept mustache. He had a big smile on his face but Vin could make out the sadness in the man's pale blue eyes. The Tracker study the man, he wore normal everyday clothing, the only symbol of where he was from was the small saber hanging from his belt. The handle bore a half sun as if rising or setting and in front of the sun was a bush of vines covered in roses, it was the royal seal of the Spring Kingdom. _A sword in a rose bush,_ Vin thought a grin on his lips.

Buck's smile faltered noticing the blue eyes watching him and Chris, his hand inching closer to his saber's handle.

"He's with me," Chris said, not taking his eyes from Buck.

Buck stared from Chris to the new man. _Haven't seen him in years and now he got a new pard and he looks like he from the Fall Kingdom too._ He couldn't decide whether he was a Tracker or a noble but if Chris trusted him…

"Buck Wilmington," offering his hand.

"Vin Tanner," taking the hand, he looked to Chris, blue eyes meeting green. "Is he coming?"

"Coming where?" Buck asked looking a bit unsettled.

Chris just stared at the mustache man, his old friend, the once proud Captain of the Guards, and good friend to the queen of Spring. "How would you like to restore glory to the Spring Queendom?"

**Part II**

He sat in his favorite chair, the young maid bringing him glass after glass of his favorite drink and yet Josiah Sanchez had a bad feeling about the quiet inn. He'd been staying at the inn on the boarder of Four Corners and the Summer Kingdom at the request of an old friend, for the past five days and there'd been no sign or word from him. _If he doesn't get here soon I'm going to leave,_ Josiah thought finishing his newest glass.

Josiah observed the other folks sitting in the main room of the inn, enjoying a good drink or a warm meal and beside for a group of farmers that been sitting by the fire, Josiah couldn't see any of them being any trouble.

"Another drink senior?"

Josiah looked toward the maid standing by him. She was a kind woman and did whatever she could to make a person's stay comfortable but if you made her mad or got on her bad side, _that_ was a different story. She didn't talk much about herself but Josiah had noticed that she loved to listen and to learn whatever she could, about the people or the lands. He nodded his thanks as she set a new glass down on the table, picked up the old one and walk away.

He looked toward the door as it open to admit some more farmers that joined the others already sitting. _I should be working on my home,_ Josiah hadn't want to come but the letter that Nathan sent to him had sounded important and Nathan wasn't one to asked if it wasn't really important. "Where is he?" He asked staring into the fire in the inn's hearth as if it had an answer. "I'll give him one more glass before I leave."

The door opened, this time allowing two men to enter, a blond dressed in black and a dark brown haired man with a mustache. They weren't farmers, that was for sure, but for some reason Josiah had a better feeling about these men then he had about the 'peaceful' farmers.

They scanned the room as if looking for someone, their eyes stopped on Josiah, he didn't know them but he felt like he could trust them. He nodded his head and raised his glass in a welcome to them. They nodded their heads in return and headed for the bar. He watched the two take sits as he finish his drink, looking around for the maid, who for once was nowhere to be seen. "Wonder where she got off to."

"I said no!"

Josiah followed the voice to find the maid in question over at the farmers table and she didn't look too happy. "Come on love, I think you've been working too hard. Why don't you join me and my friends in a drink or two?" This came from the biggest of the farmers with a scar over his right eye.

"And I think senior, that you could miss a few meals." She threw the bowls of soup she held at the man and those sitting by him.

Josiah couldn't react in time, the big guy cleaned the soup out of his eyes and quickly turned on the girl but as he went to throw his hand it was stopped and pulled back. "I think the lady was trying to tell you to beat it." It was the mustache man, Josiah hadn't even seen him move from the bar, where his friend still sat as if lost in thought.

Not too lost in thought though to see the man, with the chair over his head, sneaking up behind the maid's savior. At the same time the blond and Josiah both jumped calling out a warning.

"LOOK OUT!"

**Part III**

Vin didn't care much for the look of the small inn so he offered to take care of the horses while Chris and Buck went looking for Nathan and his friend. However as he lead the horses to the stables he didn't see Nathan's horse anywhere, _maybe we got here first_, he thought.

He removed the saddles from each horse before tending to his own first so not to upset Peso. Vin could hear noises coming from the inn but he paid them no heed. As he finished seeing to Ghost, Buck's horse, the stable's doors opened and Nathan came inside with his horse, "Hi ya Nathan."

"Vin, when did you get here?" The healer asked taking his saddle off.

"Just a few minutes ago." He could see the smile in the fairy's eyes before it was on his face.

Nathan was staring at the white horse that Vin stood by. "Chris found his friend." It was more a statement then a question, he didn't even look up from his tacks.

Vin just nodded moving on to Chris's horse, "Him and Buck are inside lookin' for ya, thought you would be here 'fore us."

Nathan thought the name over in his head, _Buck,_ the healer looked up, the noise from the inn getting louder. _I hope that's not Josiah,_ he thought, his old friend had a short temper and it got the better of him sometimes.

Vin finished with Shadow, moving to wait by the door for Nathan but upon hearing the sound of shattering glass and breaking wood, the Tracker took off at a run, followed closely by Nathan.

They came around the corner to see a man lying on his back looking back towards the broking window by the front door of the inn. Looking towards the window himself, Nathan saw another man standing in it with a huge grin on his face under his mustache. Behind him Nathan saw what seemed to be a fight among the customers of the inn and as he feared one of them was Josiah. The fairy watched on as the man from the window returned to the fight going quickly to the aid of Chris, who was covered in men and pinned to the ground. "That must be Buck?"

"Look like we're missing out on all the fun!" Vin yelled taking off toward the door as another man came flying out the window. Getting to the doorway he stopped dead in his tracks and just shook his head at the sight that greeted him. It seem like everyone in the place was against Chris and Buck. He gave a grin looking behind him to Nathan. "Should we join?" Not waiting for an answer he jumped into the fight going after a guy coming up behind Buck with a dagger in hand.

Josiah watched as another man joined the brawl, quickly going to the aid of the mustache man that started it all. Not that he was arguing the guy's right to help the maid in the first place and it'd been a while since he'd had so much fun. His eyes caught more movement from the doorway and he was soon standing face to face with his friend, Nathan was just standing there shaking his head.

The preacher raised his hand going to wave but someone noticed the older man not looking and knocked him to the ground. Josiah rolled over onto his back to see a grinning farmer standing over him with a pitch fork, as the fork came down; the preacher's foot went up right into the man's stomach. The farmer stumbled backwards dropping the weapon as Josiah got to his feet. He turned in time to the man regain his footing but as he started running head first into the preacher he didn't see the dark skinned man jumping in front of him.

Sanchez smiled as Nathan throw his fist at their opponent hitting the man right across the jaw, the man fell backward as he spun from the force of Nathan's hit. There was a loud bang as his head came in contact with the corner of the bar's counter before falling to the ground unconscious.

Nathan turned to see Josiah smiling at him, "What?" It was all the healer could say to his old friend.

"What took you so long?"

The fairy just shook his head at the comment and headed off to join the rest of the fight, wondering what had started the whole thing.

Chris had taken out four of them before he was jumped on from behind by a group of farmers, taking him to the ground. He struggled to get free, throwing his right elbow back hitting one man across the jaw. He let his now free arm fly backwards, not really aiming. His fist meet flesh and there was cracking sound upon impact. This farmer pulled back, putting his hands to his nose, trying to stop the blood that was already running down his face. The blond warrior fought back as the last two men held him down, Chris was getting ready to throw his head back when the two men disappeared off of him. He rolled over onto his back in time to see Buck and Vin tossing the two over the counter into the bottles.

He only shook his head, judging by the look on the two faces, they were having fun. "When did you get here Vin?"

"Couldn't let ya have all the fun," the Tracker stated offering his hand. "What started this mess?"

"Long story," Chris answered shooting a glace toward Buck who had taken off after a few who were trying to get away through the back of the inn. He heard a chuckle from Vin who was following his gaze. Chris survived the room, the ground was covered with unconscious farmers, broken wood from tables and chairs, and glass from bottles. On the other side of the lobby, he saw kneeling in front of the man that Chris had broken the nose of with his fist, he could hear Nathan muttering something about keeping his head back and staying out of fights. _A healer before a fighter,_ Chris thought to himself.

"Hey fellas, look what I found!" Buck entered the lobby dragging behind him the farmer with the scar over his eye, the one that had started the whole mess. "He was trying to leave before apologizing to the nice lady," Buck looked around the room but the maid that had fought off the huge man was no where to be seen.

"A woman! All of this was for a woman?!" Nathan yelled jumping to his feet, forgetting about the man he was helping.

Chris was trying to hold back the grin that was pulling at his lips, seeing the fairy getting all worked up over the subject of the fight. "Nathan, I'd like you to meet your sword in a rose bush."

"What the Hell are you talkin' about Chris?" Buck stared from his old friend to this stranger who look like a Moon Fairy with no wings. "Who is this guy?" he asked, still holding the farmer by the back of his neck.

"Come on, the girl's gone, let me go!" The scared man was yelling pulling at his tunic, reaching for the door as if he could get a hold of it then he would be free.

"I guess you get off this time but if I ever see you treating a lady like that again, you're going to wish that you just had to answer to her this time, instead of me two times." With that Buck walked to the door, pulling the guy behind him. Before the farmer could regain his footing, Buck pushed him through the door and down the steps. Turning back to his friends and giving a laugh, he was answered with a grin from Chris, Vin, and the elder gentleman, but the one that Chris had called Nathan just had a look of shock on his face. "Wonder where she got off to?"

"Guess she didn't want to stick around," Chris said reaching over the bar while grabbing two bottles and tossing two silver coins on the counter.

"Guess that means no kiss for her savior," the womanizer sighed as Chris walked past him with bottles in hand. "Where are you going?"

"Leaving, got a feeling we're not welcome here anymore."

"What really started the mess?" Vin asked, stepping beside the brunette.

"Just someone that needed to be taught a lesson in manners on how to treat a lady." Josiah couldn't help it, the fight was over and the mustache man, it seemed was still out numbered. "The garbage that your friend just threw out couldn't take no for an answer."

"Josiah, ya knew it was about a woman and you still got into it?" Nathan was still having trouble believing anything of what just happened.

The preacher then grinned at the fairy and walked over to the other two men, "Name's Josiah Sanchez," he said offering his hand to the brunette.

The ex-captain looked at the hand for a moment before taking it, "Buck Wilmington."

"Vin Tanner," the Tracker introduced himself taking the offered hand in turned.

Footsteps brought everyone's attention to the swinging doors where Chris now stood, "You boys comin'?"

**Part IV**

"Come on Josiah, give me one reason why ya won't help." Nathan asked the priest sitting across the fire from him.

Josiah just smile at his old friend, looked at the other men that was sitting with them and then into the fire. "I don't know Nat," he started, "seems to me a man ought to put his own house in order first."

"We could promise you a hell of a fight."

The priest just stared at the Fall Tracker, "Hell…I've already been there." Josiah looked into Vin's eyes and then at the list that Nathan had handed him. _Well he got the lone rider down alright, _he thought. He had knew Nathan for some time and the fairy have never struck him as a man to come to him after so many years of not talking and with a warrior from each of the kingdoms asking him to help save the world. Josiah give a sigh looking back over the fire to his friend, "You haven't been home lately Nathan, the Summer Kingdom is a mess, everything's been falling apart since the king and his daughter disappeared."

"You're not the only kingdom pal!" Buck yelled jumping to his feet.

"Settle down Buck," Chris said taking a sip of coffee. His green eyes stared at the man sitting with them, Nathan had said he was a middle class priest of the Seasons Court and what Chris saw of the man he was just that. All Josiah wore was a long sleeve tunic with a high collar made out of baby blue silk and loose fitting pants. The clothes were what one would find a court priest wearing but Chris could tell that they've seen better days, the only thing that looked new were the sandals he were with the leather strips running up his legs. He had short light brown hair with gray already running through it, as well as a mustache and well kept bread. He looked like a priest but he sure didn't sound like one sometimes and Chris wasn't too sure about the weapons.

The Winter warrior looked towards Josiah's horse, Vision, he had called it. It was a beautiful horse but what really caught Chris's eyes were the two staffs, hanging on the saddle, as well as the crossbow, and what looked to be a javelin but half the side. _What kind of priest is he? _Chris asked himself looking back to the elder man who was now arguing with Nathan.

"Yes, Josiah, I know Summer's been falling but so have the other kingdoms, we're not the only ones to suffer." Nathan looked at the three men, Chris and Vin had been a surprise but when the fighter introduced him to Buck he believed that his heart had stopped, it was going so much easier then he thought it was going to go. Chris had already informed his friend about what was going on and the former Captain of the Guards seem to believe the whole dreams and visions thing or he was just willing to help anyone that was going to try to save the kingdoms from the mess they've somehow gotten into.

Now it was Josiah's turn to be convinced, the fairy had explained everything to him and even showed him the list that Billy had wrote but would Josiah believe them? Nathan just stared, not knowing what to say; Vin, Chris, and Buck also just sat, the Winter fighter drank his coffee after finishing his part of the deer that Vin had brought down for dinner. The other two watched on, Vin ever now and again looking up at the stars.

"Well Josiah, the other kingdoms need our help too and I hate to say so but when I read that there list, I couldn't think of any one else but you. A bear in a church, might as well had written yer name down." Nathan listened to the chuckle the priest made to the joke between them. A lot of their old friends from the little village they used to live in had once called Josiah 'a bear of a man' due to his size and it had been a joke that Nathan kept going.

The laughter had dead away fast though, "At least the others know what happened to them; Spring's captured, Winter's abandon, and Fall's dead…"

"They ain't dead!" Vin yelled jumping to his feet, the others stared at his outburst like he was on fire. _Nice going Tanner,_ the words had left his mouth before he could stop them; he waved his hand dismissing the subject and heading off towards the horses.

Larabee noticed the guilt and sadness past across the Tracker's face but didn't push it. Chris turned back to Buck who was spinning his cup in his hand, his head down. Nathan and Josiah staring at each other, he could tell the priest was regretting his words but didn't know what to say.

He took another sip of his coffee before standing and dropping it into the fire. "Well, preacher, like you said, at least we know what happened to ours but we're still doing something. If I was you, I would want to know what happened to the king and his daughter. We leave in the morning, with or without you so you have tonight to think it over." With that he turned to join Vin at the horses.

Josiah just watched the departing man, wondering why the Winter fighter were join Nathan to begin with. He study the list once more, pale blue eyes landed on the bear and he couldn't stop the laugh inside his head. "You say your Prince Billy wrote this?" Nathan only nodded his head. The priest noticed the other three were turning in for the night. He stood giving a sigh and he walked around the fire. "I'll sleep on it," it was all he said as he handed the list back and followed the other's lead.

Nathan took the parchment from his friend, _he'll think about it,_ he told himself, _that's better then I thought he'd say._ The healer knew that Josiah could be very stubborn sometimes and had thought for sure that this would going to be one of those times.

Pouring the rest of his cup into the fire, he headed for his own blanket, hoping, praying that in the morning there would be five of them heading back into town.

**Author's Notes:** So I'm sorry it took so long to update but I hope you enjoy and remember reviews are welcome.


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